2. Composting and Fertilizer Not many college students have compost bins in their dorms, but even so, this is a neat coffee use to know. For commuters who have the yard — and the time — to start a garden, consider starting your own compost pile — and just add coffee. The benefits of composting are abundant — it is a good use of kitchen scraps, it is natural and it packs nutrients into soil, which produces nutritious garden crops. Compost needs to have a balance of nitrogen-rich “green” material and carbon-rich “brown” material in order to be useful. Since coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen, they are the perfect addition to a compost pile. Coffee grounds are also rich in phosphorous and potassium. Maybe you are a gardener, but don’t have time to deal with compost; or maybe you just have a few favored plants that you tend. Certain plants, such as roses and strawberry plants, absorb the trace minerals found in coffee grounds, as well as thrive off the acidity of coffee. Research the necessary soil pH-levels for your plants before adding coffee as a fertilizer. If your plants are acid-lovers, dig a few inches into the soil near the roots and add coffee grounds.
Using leftover coffee grounds is an inexpensive way to keep plants alive and healthy.
3. Cooking This coffee tip is for the students who miraculously have time to brew their own morning coffee in a traditional coffee pot. A small amount of coffee is almost always left over after brewing a pot and that leftover amount is typically tossed. Kitchn, a well-known online cooking magazine, suggests numerous recipes for that leftover liquid, including Thai iced coffee, coffee molasses pork chops and fried eggs with coffee chipotle mole. Thai Iced Coffee *courtesy of http://www.chowhound.com
Ingredients: - 1 cup strong coffee - 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar - 1/2 teaspoon cardamom - Whole milk, heavy cream, half-andhalf - 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract or almond extract - A dash of cinnamon and coriander Steps: 1. Add sugar, vanilla and spices to the coffee, and add sugar or spices as desired. 2. Place the coffee in the refrigerator. 3. For iced coffee that will not taste watered-down, pour a small amount of coffee into an ice cube tray and freeze. 4. After the coffee ice has frozen, pour the chilled coffee over the cubes and serve.
Thai iced coffee could just be the perfect boost of energy you need with a little snack on the side.
4. Skin Brightener Caffeine is a popular topical beauty product. According to http://www.livestrong.com, caffeine has “the ability to constrict small blood vessels and reduce inflammation … to minimize dark circles and sagging skin under the eyes.” In addition, caffeine is full of antioxidants that are good for the complexion. Coffee Skin Mask Ingredients: - Honey - Yogurt - Mashed avocado - Coffee grounds Steps: 1. Mix two parts honey, yogurt or avocado to one part coffee grounds. 2. Leave the mixture on your skin for about 20 minutes. 3. Rinse off thoroughly. ◆
Coffee masks can work wonders for your skin, leaving you feeling awake and refreshed.
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